Bob Kelley, candidate, wants to be elected to Monroe City Council. Below are his answers to questions put forth by posters from this website.

1. Why are you running for council?I believe I can bring new ideas and solutions for the future. I have many years of business experience, and I believe that will help to understand and solve Monroe’s financial problems.

2. What is your #1 Priority for Monroe?I would like to see the City live within its means. It is not responsible to spend money that you don’t have. I would like to see more citizens involved in our city government. I would also like to see more of our youth involved in our government. Possibly the students in government classes at the High School could work in a group to form an opinion and proposed solution to a current issue or issues facing City Council.

3. Where do you stand on Parks?I have been a member of the City Park board for a while. I think that a funding system for our parks needs to be established from existing income and protected as park funds only. The community then needs to have a voice in how the parks grow from there. People need to come forward and express an interest in what happens in our City.

4. Who is responsible for our budget problems?I don’t have enough information to say that this person or that person is responsible. The blame will ultimately rest with City Council, they were supposed to keep up with those issues, if they were given bad information, then it seems that there was a cover-up of sorts and that someone should be prosecuted legally. If no charges can be filed then checks and balances should be put in place to keep this from ever happening again.

5. What do you plan to do about the Vets Memorial?I would like to pursue donations, private funding sources and see if a means can be found to honor those who have served our country.

6. Are you in favor of the St. Rt 63 extension to Trenton/Oxford?As long as it does not harm our infrastructure, and does not cost the city or the taxpayers to build. Our exit from 75 is already operating sluggishly. If the mall plans go through, and this was built what impact would it have on our city. Would we see anything other than an increase in traffic? Those are all issues that would need to be addressed.